Cushion-frame.



2 U A D E T N E T A P mm R P N m H !8 AU 0 I No. 768,066.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3; 1908.

N9 MODEL.

H WITNESSES;

Patented August as, 1904. i

ALEXANDER 1 MORROW, or ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

CUSHION-FRAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,066, dated August23, 1904,

Application filed December 3,1903.

- To It whom it may concern.-

1 device.

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER RMORRO a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Elmira, in the county ofChemung and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushion-Frames, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cushion-frames for bicycles and other likevehicles, and has for its object-to produce a device thatis both strongand neat in appearance.

In the accompanying drawings the device is shown asapplied to the rearbraces of a bicycle, and it will be noticed that it permits the useof-straight rear tubular braces that are set an angle to each other, asis the case in the standard type of frames known as the safetyframe.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents part of a bicycle-frame that isequippedcwith this Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, certain of itsparts being broken away toshow the construction, and one of the braces,its con nection, and the parts withinit being shown in vertical section.Fig. 3 shows a vertical section of the upper end of one of'thebraces andits connections on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 shows one of theparts.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent the rear tubular braces of abicycle-frame, which are attached, respectively, at their lower ends tothe forks A A by suitable yielding joints A A and are fastened togetherby the tubular brace A Spiralsprings C are contained within the tubes AA, respectively, and

, rest at their lower ends upon the seats B B,

respectively, encircling a projectionb 6 upon the seats B B,respectively, which are adapted to retain the springs in place. aresecured within the tubes A A, respectively, as by pins 6 b. A brassbushing D D is screwed within the upper end of each of the 7 tubes A A,and a piston-rod E Eis adapted to slide up and down through each ofthem. A plunger F F is screwed or otherwise secured upon the endof eachof the piston-rods E E. The plungers 'bear upon the upper ends of thespiral'springs C, respectively. Other coiled springs G G are insertedwithin the tubes A A, respectively, and ,surround the piston-rods E E,respectively, lying between the bushings The seats B B Serial No.183,588f (No model.)

D D and the plungers F, which bear upon their upper and lower ends,respectively.

Similar parallel ears H H pro ect upwardly from the upper ends of eachof the piston-rods E E, and links I l are pivotally secured between eachpair of ears, respectively, near. A yoke 'J ,1

their upper ends, as by pins 7L h. comprised of the stem J, with itspair of ears j, and the stem J with its pair ofears f j, is pivotallyconnected to the lower end of the links I 1, as by means of pins .t't',uwhich pass,"

respectively, at rightangles to the axis of the yoke through both theears j j and f f and the lower ends of the links I I,which latter lie,

respectively, between the ears on said yoke.

The parts J and J of the yoke are secured together in anysuitable-manner, as by means of athreaded bolt which projects from theof thebicycle-frame, theshoulders y'j on the j yoke J engaging,respectively, the edges of the socket K to prevent it from slidingtherein. The yoke is free to turn within its socket, and the screwconnection between the stems J and J 2 render it adjustable withreference to the distance between the ends, of the piston-rods E E whenthe latter .are in place within their respective tubes A A.

TubesM M may be attached to the bushings D D, respectively, to inclosethe upper ends of the piston-rods E E and telescope the upper ends ofthe tubes A A, thereby pro.

tecting the parts from dust and giving the device, an appearancemuch-like that of the ordinary safety-bicycle frame.

The operation of the cushioning device is: as follows: When anobstruction in the roadv is encountered by the bicycle, the rear .tubu-.

lar braces A A are forced upwardly'upon the piston-.rodsE E,respectively, thereby com- .nection with the frame of the bicycle.

pressing the springs C C against the plungers F F upon the lower ends ofsaid piston-rods, respectively, the piston rods being held againstlongitudinal movement by their con- At the same time the link connectionbetween the pistons and the frame permits the pistons to movetransversely away from the supportingtube L and yet retain theiralinement with the rear tubular braces A A. Thus the rear braces aremade to slide freely and without binding both upon the pistons andwithin the outer tubes M M, that are attached to the pistons,respectively, while fitting closely one upon the other. The shortsprings G G receive the reaction from sudden or violent compression ofthe springs C (1.

As in all cushion-frame bicycles, a yielding joint is necessary at Abetween the crankhanger and the front triangle of the frame, as well asat A and between the yoke J and its support.

The plungers F F can be adjusted upon their respective pistons byscrewing them up or down, so as to adapt them to springs C C ofdifferent length, and, furthermore, for the purpose of placing thesprings C C under tension, if desired.

What 1 claim is 1. A cushioning device comprising two angularly-disposedtubes; spiral springs within said tubes, respectively; a seat withineach of said tubes for one end of said springs; pistonrods adapted toslide within said tubes, respectively; a plunger upon each of saidpiston-rods, adapted to compress the spring upon its said seat; a yokefor supporting said piston-rods; means for attaching said yoke to asupport; and a transversely-adjnstable connection between said yoke andeach of said piston-rods whereby said piston-rods are, respectively,alined with reference to said tubes when said parts are movedlongitudinally with reference to each other.

2. A cushioning device comprising two angularly-disposed tubes; spiralsprings within said tubes, respectively; a seat within each of saidtubes for one end of said springs; pistonrods adapted to slide withinsaid tubes, respectively; a plunger upon each of said piston-rods,adapted to compress the spring upon its said seat; a yoke for supportingsaid pistonrods; means for attaching said yoke to a support; and linkspivoted at their lower end to said yoke at right angle to its axis, andat their upper ends, respectively, to said pistonrods, substantially asshown and described.

3. A cushioning device comprising two angularly-disposed tubes; spiralsprings within said tubes, respectively; a seat within each of saidtubes for one end of said springs; pistonrods adapted to slide withinsaid tubes, respectively; an adjustable plunger upon each of saidpiston-rods, adapted to compress the spring; and links pivoted at theirlower end to said yoke at right angle to its axis, and at their upperends, respectively, to said pistonrods, substantially as shown anddescribed.

4. A cushioning device comprising two angularly-disposed tubes; spiralsprings within said tubes, respectively; a seat within each of saidtubes, for one end of said springs; pistonrods adapted to slide withinsaid tubes, respectively; aplunger upon each of said pistonrods adaptedto compress the spring upon its said seat; a tube carried by each ofsaid pistons and adapted to telescope with said firstmentioned tubes,respectively; a yoke for supporting said piston-rods; means forattaching said yoke to a support; and links pivoted at their lower endto said yoke at right angle to its axis, and at their upper ends,respectively, to said piston-rods, substantially as shown and described.

5. A cushioning device comprising two angularly-disposed tubes; spiralsprings within said tubes, respectively; a seat within each of saidtubes for one end of said springs; pistonrods adapted to slide withinsaid tubes, respectively; a plunger upon each of said pistonrods,adapted to compress one of said springs upon its said seat; a secondspiral spring in each of said tubes between the other end of the pistonand a seat upon the tube; a yoke for supporting said 1')iston-rods;means for attaching said yoke to a support; and links pivoted at theirlower end to said yoke at right angle to its axis. and at their upperends, respectively, to said piston-rods, substantially as shown anddescribed.

6. A cushioning device comprisingtwo angularly-disposed tubes; spiralsprings within said tubes, respectively; a seat within eachoi said tubesfor one end of said springs; pistonrods adapted to slide within saidtubes, respectively; a plunger upon each of said piston-rods, adapted tocompress the spring upon its said seat; a yoke for supporting saidpiston-rods; means for attaching said yoke to a support; the links llpivotally attached, respectively at their upper ends to said pistonrodsand at their lower ends to said yoke; substantially as shown anddescribed.

7. A cushioning device comprising two angularly-disposed tubes; spiralsprings within said tubes, respectively; a seat within each of saidtubes for one end of said springs; pistonrods adapted to slide withinsaid tubes, respectively; a plunger upon each of said pistonrods,adapted to compress the spring upon its seat; the yoke J, having theadjustably-connected stems J and .Vand the pairs of earsj j and j; thelinks 1 l pivotally attached, respectively at their upper ends to saidpistonrods and at their lower ends to said yoke; substantially as shownand described.

ALEXANDER 1. MORROlV.

\Vitnesses:

RALPH D. Wuns'rnn, JOHN (J. FnneUsoN.

